How to Ride a Motorcycle SAFELY in Traffic

Riding a motorcycle safely in traffic can be stressful for beginners. Riders may experience a steep learning curve and acquire counterproductive habits without training. For maximum safety on the road, no matter how open or crowded, don’t discount the idea of professional training at a dedicated, student-first motorcycle rider school for a second.
At our multiple Arizona training facilities, TEAM Arizona takes you step by step through simulations that mimic common traffic scenarios. Our experienced RiderCoaches gradually increase the difficulty and types of scenarios tested, so you walk away with not only a Motorcycle Safety Completion Card upon successful completion but valuable real-life experience. We make the unknown known.

Understanding Traffic Dynamics

Motorists generally don’t see motorcycles as well as other cars and trucks. This is partly due to innate behavioral challenges but also due to poor driving habits. The first piece to roadway safety is having a riding strategy. Part of the strategy means you strive to place yourself where you can see and be seen by other motorists. Being aware that you are more difficult to see already gives you a better chance of being safe in traffic. You’ll want to dynamically position and reposition yourself to increase your chance of being seen, which requires awareness and skill. Thus, the only certain step you can take to improve traffic safety on a motorcycle is to commit to an overall riding strategy and continual skill development.

At the heart of our method is defensive riding. The greater the traffic, the more you must control the space around you, including stopping distance. Although riders with well-practiced braking skills can stop quickly, we’d rather you avoid having to use those fancy braking skills by giving yourself more time and space. You only endanger yourself by pushing that limit. When moving at a crawling pace, maintain adequate space to keep moving steadily, ensuring minimal changes and allowing you to keep your feet up and save energy. Drivers don’t always understand that motorcycles in traffic have a greater need for space, so don’t be surprised if you constantly have to adjust and re-adjust your following distances and lane position.

During our on-range sessions and classroom sessions, we cover numerous scenarios to help you identify how traffic dynamics affect motorcyclists. Then, we provide a safety-first solution to every common and uncommon scenario.

Preparing for Riding in Traffic

To begin your journey into urban traffic, accept and affirm that you’ll need to pay greater attention to your surroundings than when driving a car. You won’t have the same barriers between you and the environment, and you’ll notice a higher feeling of vulnerability.

Composure is key, so we want to remain cool, calm, and collected on the road. While the learning curve for riding on the roadway is rather steep, under TEAM Arizona’s guidance, you’ll temper this learning curve and quickly reduce your feelings of anxiety, all without losing sight of the importance of remaining vigilant and relaxed at the same time.

Before you even set out, though, safety demands that you have the right safety gear and that your motorcycle is properly maintained. TEAM Arizona teaches you these and other foundational considerations, along with the road-ready skills necessary to preemptively satisfy all DMV requirements and even reduce insurance rates.

As your confidence grows and you register for our skill improvement courses, we shift to exercises that gradually increase your situational awareness and observational skills, developed specifically for riding in crowded areas.

Essential Skills for Riding in Traffic

Aside from an all-around defensive mindset, we teach several specific skills necessary for riding a motorcycle safely in traffic. That’s why for riders of any skill level, and especially beginners, we emphasize the following techniques to keep you safe in traffic:

• Maintain a riding strategy that includes Search, Evaluate, and Execute
• Predict traffic movements
• Position yourself so that you can see and be seen
• Plan escape routes, especially at intersections <check out our Intersection Management Videos>
• Wear protective gear that makes you more visible to motorists
• Avoid riding impaired
• There is no rush to motorcycling, so take extra time and space than you think you need, especially at first

Don’t Let Traffic Intimidate You: Let TEAM Arizona’s Basic Rider Course Teach You How to Ride Safely

Above all, remain vigilant yet relaxed, and we’ll help you confront your fears of riding a motorcycle safely in traffic. We’d rather you come to us a little over-intimidated at first because it tells us you take the need for riding safety as seriously as we do.

TEAM Arizona lives our passion for safe and independent travel, and nothing increases your sense of freedom like riding with confidence that you can handle any traffic situation you come across.

Take action sufficient to master the road, even in the city. Contact us to learn more and sign up for our Basic Rider Course at TEAM Arizona’s facilities throughout the Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff, and Sierra Vista areas.